1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of transferring objects with compressed gas, and more particularly to a method of transferring various kinds of objects highly effectively, to many places, including distant places, extending over a wide area. The method employs compressed gas as a transferring medium to repeatedly and continuously transfer the various objects. When the specific gravity of such compressed gas is equal to that of air or the like, problems associated with gravity can be ignored within 1,000 m above the ground, and the air pressure is a wave motion traveling at the velocity of 340 m per second. Accordingly, such natural conditions can be utilized to actively transfer objects.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, pumps have been used to transfer liquid objects by means of pressure, but their applicability is rather limited to each specific purpose. That is, such pumps are expensive and can effect transfer of only a short distance. Particularly in the case of liquids which contain highly viscous or solid substances, the mechanical durability of a pump is decreased because the structure of the pump allows viscous or solid substances to enter its mechanism, which leads to frequent repairs and replacements of components caused by breakdown and wear. Also, many different pumps are inevitably required for different specific purposes. Thus, pumps are not necessarily sufficient to transfer objects by pressure to specific higher places or distant places. Furthermore, the active power (energy) used for transferring objects cannot be retained as energy. As soon as the transfer is completed, the energy is dispersed. In order to continue further transfer, it is necessary to supply new active power (energy). Naturally, as far as pumps are applied in transferring objects by pressure using present pump mechanisms, the active power cannot be retained for further repeated and continuous use. In addition, there has not yet been provided a complete freeze-prevention measure to prevent pumps and pipes from freezing in winter, due to the excessive costs involved.
In view of these circumstances, the inventor has provided a method of transferring objects, including an Atmospheric Pressure Operation, a Natural Pressure Operation, an Added Pressure Operation, an Alternate Added Pressure Operation, and a Continuous Added Pressure Operation, as disclosed in the International Publication No. WO 90/03322.
An Atmospheric Pressure Operation is a method wherein the air in the atmosphere is compressed to provide active power for use in a transfer operation. For example, a first pressure tank with a capacity of 1 m.sup.3 is placed on the ground and filled with water. An empty tank with the capacity of 1 m.sup.3 is placed at a level of 100 m above the first tank and is connected to the first tank with a pipe. When a compressor compresses air from the atmosphere and delivers the compressed air continuously at an atm. gauge pressure (pressure) somewhat higher than 10 atm., the water in the first tank gradually flows into the second tank. As a result, the first tank is filled with 1 m.sup.3 of compressed air with the pressure somewhat higher than 10 atm., and the second tank is filled with 1 m.sup.3 of water. By electronically sensing when this step is completed, the valve at the bottom of the first tank is closed, so that the compressed air can be fully retained without dispersion. Namely, in the Atmospheric Pressure Operation, water is pushed up, using air as a medium of transfer, to the level of 100 m above the first tank, and then the active power used to transfer the water is retained as a replacement for the water (or other objects) in the first tank, i.e., the place where the objects have been transferred from.
A Natural Pressure Operation is defined as an operation where the compressed air, retained in a pressure tank as active power (energy), is utilized by merely opening and closing the valves of the pressure tank, without consuming any other energy such as power required to actuate general machines. For example, when the 1 m.sup.3 of compressed air, which has a pressure of a little higher than 10 atm. and is retained in the first tank in accordance with the Atmospheric Pressure Operation, is sent to the second tank filled with 1 m.sup.3 of water 100 m above the ground, the total volume of 1 m.sup.3 of water in the second tank is pushed up to a third tank 45 m above, in accordance with the Natural Pressure Operation. In this case, the first tank and the second tank each possess compressed air at 4.5 atm. gauge pressure retained after the first transfer process. The total volume of 2 m.sup.3 of compressed air at 4.5 atm. gauge pressure is pushed up in accordance with the Natural Pressure Operation to the third tank, and 1 m.sup.3 of water in the third tank is pushed up to a fourth tank with a capacity of 1 m.sup.3 26.6 m above. Thus, if the above method using the tank capacity of 1 m.sup.3 is used in successive Natural Pressure Operations, the total transfer height that this operation can achieve is 122.19 m. When precisely calculated using integral calculus, 1 m.sup.3 of water can be pushed up to the height of 164 m in accordance with the Natural Pressure Operation. Namely, it is proven that the active power of the compressed air required for transferring 1 m.sup.3 of water to the height of 100 m in the Atmospheric Pressure Operation is equal to that which can push the water up to the height of 164 m.
An Added Pressure Operation is a method wherein compressed air is taken and compressed by a compressor for use in a transfer operation. An operation in which compressed air, retained as an energy source after the Atmospheric Pressure Operation, is taken and compressed by a compressor, and an operation which utilizes compressed air retained in a receiver tank, can both be called an Added Pressure Operation.
For example, under the condition that 1 m.sup.3 of water in the first tank on the ground is pushed up to the second tank 100 m above the ground in accordance with Atmospheric Pressure Operation, the compressed air having an atm. gauge pressure of a little higher than 10 atm. retained in the first tank is taken and compressed to be pushed up to a third tank set 100 m above the second tank by a compressor. At the stage that the water in the second tank is almost sent up to the third tank with exception of a little water remaining inside the second tank, the pressure of the first tank drops to zero atm. gauge pressure, i.e. to the level of the atmosphere. Theoretically, it is possible that the air in the first tank is taken and pushed up into the second tank by further actuating a compressor until the inside of the tank becomes a vacuum. By doing so, all of the remaining water in the second tank is pushed up into the third tank. But the efficiency is badly decreased when a compressor is used to generate negative pressure. Instead, therefore, by electronically sensing the instant the pressure inside the first tank drops to an atm. gauge pressure of zero, or to the level of the atmosphere, the little water remaining in the second tank is pushed up to the third tank in an Atmospheric Pressure Operation. Namely, in this case, both an Added Pressure Operation and an Atmospheric Pressure Operation are used. As this alternative, by electronically sensing the instant the pressure of the first tank drops to the level of the atmosphere, the valve at the bottom of the first tank is opened. Through said valve, supplemental water flows into the first tank, whereby preparing supplemental water while conducting the Atmospheric Pressure Operation is possible. Needless to say, only the Added Pressure Operation enables the transfer of water utilizing the compressed air retained in a receiver tank.
Alternate Added Pressure Operation is a method wherein an object is transferred to a next step tank continuously in Added Pressure Operation by alternate replacement of compressed air and an object in between a plurality of tanks.
For example, two tanks are set in parallel. The first tank is filled with compressed air and the second tank having the same capacity as the first tank is filled with water. First, the compressed air in the first tank is acted against the water in the second tank by a compressor. Then the water in the second tank is sent to a next step. When the transfer is completed, the first tank is filled with water. Next, the compressed air retained in the second tank is acted against the water in the first tank. Thus, by alternately transferring the objects in the first tank and the second tank in Added Pressure Operation, a continuous transfer into a next stage can be made. In this case, also, by utilizing the compressed air prepared in a receiver tank, the whole process of transfer can be conducted in Added Pressure Operation. Continuous Added Pressure Operation is available for further stages, provided a plurality of tanks are set in parallel at each stage so as to be conducted in Alternate Added Pressure Operation.
In methods of transferring objects with compressed gas, Added Pressure Operation, and practical types thereof, such as Alternate Added Pressure Operation and Continuous Added Pressure Operation, are superior in that the energy used for the transfer action can be retained and used for further transfer repeatedly and continuously, as compared to mechanical transferring methods such as with pumps. However, when transferring the entire amount of the object, after completion of Added Pressure Operation, it is required thereafter to apply Atmospheric Pressure Operation, or to let the remaining object flow in under a little negative pressure, or to conduct Added Pressure Operation utilizing the compressed air retained in a receiver tank prior to the operation. If none of these methods is adopted, then it is required that air is taken by a compressor until the inside of a tank becomes from zero to vacuum.